is this why you sent your elected official to go to washington to allow something like this to happen? and i'm asking republicans tonight. is this really what you want the country to do? look. the bottom line is this. we're at a crossroads in america. the right wing wants the big three so bad, this is the conversation they're willing to have. and this may be the direction they're willing to go to make sure that they can get the cuts they want, because they want that government cut right down into the bathtub. i'm joined tonight by msnbc contributor and "washington post" columnist e.j. dionne, and ruth conniff, political editor of the progressive magazine. great to have both of you with us tonight. e.j., you first. who would get hit the hardest? i mean, if we were not to pay our bills, who gets hit the hardest and the soonest, actually? sooner than anybody else? >> i'm glad what you did what you just did, because i think one of the problems with this debt ceiling fight is that it's such a ridiculous idea on its face that congress has to vote again to say we'll pay our bills, that most